Causes of Asthma

Medically reviewed by:

Dr Tom Micklewright - Medical Officer

Updated: Aug 18, 2021

Next review: Aug 18, 2022

Asthma causes inflammation in your airways, but why this happens is not fully understood, although certain things can increase the chances of your getting asthma. These include if you:

have a family history of asthma (such as a parent or sibling)
have eczema, hay fever or other allergies - these can be in yourself, or in your family
are an adult woman, as hormones may act as a trigger
had a severe lung infection when you were young
your mother smoked while she was pregnant with you or if you were exposed to tobacco smoke (2nd hand smoke) when you were a child
are overweight
were born prematurely or at a low birth weight
where you work can also be a trigger, such as if you work with particular chemicals (occupational asthma).

People with asthma often find that certain things can trigger their symptoms, make them worse or lead to an asthma attack. Common asthma triggers include:

allergies, such as pollen, dust mites, animal fur and dander
an infection, such as a cold, flu
alcohol - some people find that certain types of alcohol can trigger asthma symptoms, with red wine being the most common according to Asthma UK - it’s thought to be the histamine the alcohol contains
air pollution
smoke - if you have asthma and you are a smoker you should take steps to stop - if you are a smoker and your child has asthma, even if you don’t smoke near them, even just the smell of cigarette smoke on your clothes could make their asthma worse
fumes, such as paint fumes, solvents or cleaning chemicals
mould
emotions, such as stress
weather changes, such as thunderstorms, and fluctuating hot and cold temperatures
exercise - staying active is good for you if you have asthma. If exercise triggers your asthma you may need different treatment to help you control the symptoms
medications, such as aspirin, anti-inflammatory medication or beta-blockers.

Triggers will vary from person to person - work with your GP to find out your triggers, so that you can avoid them in the future.

Dr Tom Micklewright - Medical Officer

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